Saturday, September 22, 2007

With only 5 hours left to revel in our 38-0 drubbing of the South Bend Catholic Central Fighting Irish, I felt it appropriate to post the new Notre Dame athletic site before moving on to the Nits.Click here for the new site.

Sunday, September 09, 2007

"These kids are talented. The experience is the biggest challenge, it's not the talent. If we're as good as I think we are coaching-wise ... we'll be good.'' Ron English, August 2007

I apologize. I take responsibility for our loss to Appalachian State. I neglected this blog entirely (for reasons like work, boating, golf, and all those summer things which demand one's presence outside)but now realize my error. On top of that, I didn't go to the game (thinking it a "no contest"), instead spending the labor day holiday on the water, in the sun, with family and relatives.

When I woke up Sunday morning, I assumed that the bad dream was really only a nightmare. That it would be Saturday morning, that I'd turn the radio on in the boat at 3pm, and listen to a solid M "d" stuff those fast little buggers from AState. I'm not going to rehash anything more on the AState game, b/c I didn't see it person, and it's still painful.

That brings us to this week. After coaching my daughter's soccer team on Saturday morning, I made the trek to A2 to support Michigan -- thinking the AState game was an aberration -- that had I been there, they would have won. Prepared to take responsibility for the DIAA debacle. It wasn't really the team's fault, it was surely me. Having taken AState for a lie down, not attending, and worst leaving the last blog entry up with that damn hot hot hot crap.

As it turns out, it may not have been my fault (though to deflect criticism from Lloyd Carr I will continue to accept all responsibility for the DIAA debacle. I'll henceforth call it ASseD -- Appalachian State Debacle (the small letters necesSary to complete the entire feeling brought on by losing to a team which may as well be Slippery Rock).

ASseD aside, I was confident that we would go on to a big ten championship -- we were merely not ready, not willing, not prepared, but still only a fluke. We'll be back.

While I will continue to accept all culpability for ASseD, Ron English has agreed to take responsiblity for the ODD (you ask what is ODD? Oregon Duck Debacle. It is also odd that Ron English stepped up to take this responsibility. He hasn't taken responsiblity for any of Michigan's LAST FOUR CONSECUTIVE LOSSES ALMOST ENTIRELY ATTRIBUTABLE TO OUR DEFENSE -- Which also includes a daringly close victory against Ball State in which the English D almost committed a third debacle during his tenure (which assumes that you're not counting the combined losses at Tofu (The ohio fuc_ university) and USC as yet another debacle. But how easily I am sidetracked . . .

What Oregon did to M is the worst blowout I have witnessed at Michigan Stadium, surpassing the Donavan McNabb shredding in A2. The worst thing about the game is that in the first half, we actually had 307 yards in offense, and moved the ball at will for a good portion of the half but were unable to score points. As pitiful as the offensive scoring was, the offense made mistakes and errors, but was not "blown away" whatsoever by the oregon D. On the other hand, the English D could not have played a worse game. It is, far and away, THE SINGLE WORST DEFENSIVE GAME I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MICHIGAN STADIUM, and I have seen a lot of games.

As of Saturday night, I believe English should be fired. While he will not be "fired" he may lose his job. I suspect Lloyd Carr may very well assume the defensive coordinator responsiblities on Sunday. I hope so. I believe Lloyd is a very good coach. I am not part of the group that thinks Lloyd an outstanding person but a mediorcre coach. (I will change my mind about that if English remains responsible for de facto defensive coordinating if he retains the title)

It better happen. With 4 straight D shreddings and an inability to stop the spread offense we can expect to see the Little Tuna Genius employ the Spread n Shred playbook himself next week in A2.